Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps – Bluejean Bop!

Bluejean Bop! is Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps’ debut album, released in 1956, and it’s an absolute cornerstone of early rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. This is the record that introduced Gene Vincent’s swaggering voice and the wild guitar of Cliff Gallup to the world.

The title track "Bluejean Bop" sets the tone—loose, rebellious, and built for dancing. It’s got a rawness that feels spontaneous, like they were just tearing it up in the studio. Tracks like "Who Slapped John?", "Jump Back, Honey, Jump Back", and "Jezebel" mix blues, country, and swing into something electrifying and new for the time.

Cliff Gallup’s guitar work is especially legendary—he was a major influence on Jeff Beck and Brian Setzer, and you can hear why. His solos are clean, fast, and stylish as hell.

The whole album is a blast—short, punchy, and packed with energy. It’s a must-have if you're into early rock or building out a foundational rockabilly collection.

Reviews

"The sessions themselves were done in a hurry, without any help from studio musicians; and they were conducted with minimal input from producer Ken Nelson, who pretty much let the band do what came naturally. The result is a lean, tight sound, akin to a live recording -- which this practically was -- in terms of minimal retakes, lots of spontaneity, and no overdubbing." Allmusic